Violetta

Two of the easiest (only?) ways to get Letty as a nickname are Elettra and Violetta. Violetta (vee-oh-let-ta) is a more elegant, romantic and European version of the trending and popular Violet, and while both of them mean "purple," it is a very distinct shade of purple they refer to - the shade violet, as in the flower. It is of Latin origin but used in several countries.

One of the most well known namesakes of Violetta is from Giuseppe Verdi's opera "La Traviata," which was originally titled "Violetta" after the main character. The story in the play was adapted from Alexandre Dumas junior's novel The Lady of the Camellias. (Side note: I had no idea Alexandre Dumas was part Afro-Carribean Creole until I saw "Django Unchained.") In the opera, Violetta is a respected courtesan who abandons her lifestyle when she falls in love with a man named Alfredo. A few events and misunderstandings unfold, Violetta breaks off their relationship, and... well, I won't ruin the ending for you. But I kind of love this play and Violetta's character, because even though she is a courtesan, she is highly respected and loved.

I once read that there was a Saint Violetta of Verona, Italy, but cannot find any record of her.

What's shocking is that Violetta only ranked once - in 1884 at #849. In recent years it has been very rare. 46 girls were given the name in 2011, and no more than 30 since 1884. In most years it was given between 5 and 20 times.

Sylvie, Sylvia, Silvia

Miike Snow - Silvia

I was going to include Silvana and Silveria, and the male forms of the name, in this post, but I think I'll save them for another time and just mention that all Syl-/Sil- names share the same meaning, "[from the] woods, woodland, forest." Silvanus was the Latin god of the forest. More rare variants include Sylvette, Sylvina/Silvina, Silvania/Sylvania, and Sylva/Silva. Silvia is the major Latin version of the name, while Sylvia and Sylvie/Silvie are the variants. In fact, the spellings with a Y are generally understood to be the English equivalents, while the traditional Latin spellings retain the I. Sylvie is usually thought to be French, but can also serve as a nickname. All forms have a silvery, gilded, romantic and sophisticated image, while still being quite childlike and playful.

While Sylvie has never ranked, Sylvia ranked from 1880 (and likely well before that) until now. In 2011 Sylvia ranked at #554, and has been in the 500's for the last decade. It has been slowly falling since it was #50 in 1937, which was its highest rank, and had stayed above #200 before that. The alternate spelling Silvia also ranked from 1886 until 2005, but was not as popular. The highest rank for Silvia was #497 in 1974. In 2011 there were 187 girls named Silvia, 156 named Sylvie, and 523 named Sylvia. Though Sylvia is now more popular, Silvia was the original spelling.

Rhea Silvia in mythology was an ancient nature goddess, the mother of Remus and Romulus, the founders of Rome. (Mythological names connected to these are Evander, Arcadia, Lavinia, Aeneas and Pallas.) Saint Silvia was the mother of Pope Gregory the Great. Queen Silvia of Sweden is still reigning in Sweden. Sylvia Plath was the tragic poet and novelist whose works are now studied nationwide in advanced English courses. Sylvia Pankhurst was the Suffragette who formed leftist and communist parties after WWI, sister to Christabel, whose mother was Emmeline. Shakespeare used the name Silvia in his play "The Two Gentlemen of Verona," and both Silvia and Sylvia can be found in many more works of literature and on several more namesakes. Recently, celebrity Jason Bateman named his daughter Maple Sylvie (which directly translates to "maple forest").

Jessamine

 

Jessamine (JESS-ah-meen, JESS-uh-min, JESS-uh-myne - take your pick, though the first is most accurate), thankfully, has been getting attention in recent years. I credit that to baby naming websites that have message boards, but who knows. Jessamine is the archaic French, medieval English, and Persian for "jasmine." Variants included Jessamy and Jessamyn. Jessamyn West was an American Quaker and writer best known for The Friendly Persuasion in 1945. Another famous Jessamyn West is a librarian and blogger. Most recently, the name was picked for the main character of the TV show "New Girl." Like Clary, she's also a character in a Cassandra Clare series which is rapidly gaining popularity. Nicknames can range from Jessica's "Jessie" or "Jess," to Jasmine's "Minnie," or "Jessa," or "Mina." The plant has a remarkably nice fragrance and cute star-shaped flowers.

In 2011 there were only 8 girls named Jessamine, 7 named Jessamyn, and none named Jessamy. In 2010 there were only 6 girls named Jessamine. Please, someone, snatch this up and use it!!

Clary

 

There's a lot of fuss over Clare/Claire and Clara/Claira, but Clary (KLAIR-ee) first caught my eye when news came that Adele had a baby, and Clary was the name of the father's ex. I'm still not sure what Adele named her baby, but Clary remains a fascinating name. It is a variant of Claire, meaning "bright, clear, famous" and is the name of the clary sage plant, a member of the mint family known for thriving in adverse conditions. Clary has also been used as a surname, some from the Irish surname McClary, others from being herb-sellers or living near places where clary sage grew. One such namesake was Desiree Clary, the ex-fiancee of Napoleon. She became queen of Sweden and Norway as the consort of King Charles XIV John.

Claire has a good deal of variants that some are not familiar with. Claritza, Claribel, Clarice, and Clarette stand out, as well as Clary, which may have started as a nickname. There is also a possibility Clary was its own name, used since medieval times like other y-ending names, or from the Old English word sclarea. There were no girls named Clary born in the U.S. recently.

Get ready to spot Clary in the near future - it's the name of the heroine in Mortal Instruments, the book series-turned-new movie (February).

Aspen

 

Aspen is a name we're all familiar with, whether from Aspen, Colorado, the name of the tree, or as a baby name. Aspen trees are known for shaking, quivering or fluttering in the breeze. As such, the bark has been used to treat palsy. They are also known for their heart-shaped leaves and rich fall color. The Colorado ski resort, on the other hand, is known for being very high class. Spell it Aspyn or Aspin and the name goes from seeming high class or nature-y to low class and trendy. The general public has continued to use Aspen as a female baby name, currently #519 after an up/down period on the top 1000, but it has not ranked for boys. There were 57 boys named Aspen in 2011, compared to 558 girls. If you can look past the unfortunate first syllable, this name might be for you.

Yvonne

 

Yvonne (ee-VON) is the medieval French feminine form of Yvon and Yves, from Germanic Ivo, meaning "yew." The meaning is not "archer," it is what archery bows are made of: yew. Yvette also means "yew." Both can have the nicknames Yvie (EE-vee) or Yva (EE-vah). Yew is coniferous, like pine trees, and is known as the tree of mourning and the "tree of resurrection and eternity," symbolizing the Tree of Life. For more information on the tree in legend, please visit The Goddess Tree.

Yvonne is one of many names to travel to England after the Norman Invasion. After a while it was no longer popular, but saw a revival in the 20th century, and it was big with the French Creole community in the south (as evidenced by the Hank Williams song). At first glance it appears vintage, along with twin Yvette, but it is still used sparingly today and may see more use thanks to the vintage trend, the V trend, and the 100 year rule. In 2011 it was given to 127 baby girls, and Yvette to 191 girls. It appeared first in 1892, and last ranked in 2002. It made its way up to #76 in 1937, marking the height of its popularity, then slowly traveled back down into the 200's by 1977. Yvonne was most popular in France in the 1900's when it was a top 10 name, but it is now seldom used. One rare variant is Yvonette.

List of namesakes, though there are several more:
Yvonne Elliman, 1970s singer
Yvonne Arnaud, French actress
Yvonne Borree, American ballet dancer
Yvonne Ryding, Miss Universe 1984
Yvonne DeCarlo, Canadian actress
Yvonne Chaka Chaka, South African singer
Yvonne Choutou, ballet dancer
Yvonne Craig, ballet dancer and actress
Yvonne Minton, Australian opera singer
Yvonne van Gennip, Dutch speed skater in the Olympics
Yvonne Strahovski, Australian actress

Ellery

 

Ellery fashion label

Ellery is unisex due to being a non-occupational surname, from the Latin name Hilary (and Hilary was masculine in medieval times), meaning "cheerful," though there is a slight chance it could mean "alder tree" from Old English (the only credible info to back this up is the Old English word for alder, aler). One of the only well known namesakes is Ellery Queen, the fictional 1930's detective. In fact, this was one of the first times Ellery was ever used as a first name. Back in the day you could find Ellery as a corrupted variant of Eulalie in England, as well as Elaria, often confused with Hilaria. Ellery was a blip on the top 1000 only five times - 1882, 1897, 1904, 1908, and 1959. In 2011 it ranked just outside the top 1000 with only 196 girls born with the name, and 10 boys. (Safe to say the girls have taken over this one, too.) The above picture is from a fashion label named Ellery. Also check out Ellery Sprayberry, a child actress.

Zenobia

 

Queen Zenobia's Last Look Upon Palmyra by Herbert Schmalz

Here is an appellation that name lovers and history buffs can't stay away from. Zenobia (zen-OH-bee-ah) is a Greek name that is often listed as meaning "life of Zeus, strength of Zeus" due to the components zen, zeno, (Zeno being the poetic name of Zeus), and bia, meaning "strength." The etymology seems a bit forced in this case, but Nook of Names has a different suggestion:

Zenobia — although interpreted as “life of Zeus” in Greek, the name is probably from the Palmyrean form of Arabic Zaynab, the name of a fragrant flowering plant, as the original Zenobia was a 3rd C Queen of Palmyra who defied the Romans. Although she was ultimately defeated, she was said to have lived out her days in Rome as a respected philosopher and socialite. Used since the 16th C, but always a rarity. (Source)

Zaynab means "desert flower" or "ornamented tree" in Arabic. Wikipedia suggests Zaynab is an altered form of Zenobia, not the other way around. Her Aramaic name was Bat-Zabbai, meaning "daughter of Zabbai," and this is how she signed her name every day, although she was also known as Septimia Zenobia after her marriage, and Julia Aurelia Zenobia to the Romans, as tradition to reflect her father's and family's name. Although, Zenovia seems to be the Latin form. The Semitic name Zabbai means "gift of God."

British Baby Names says more on her name, that Zenobia is composed of zen, as stated above, and bios, meaning "life." Therefore it is safe to say zen + bia = "strength of Zeus," and zen + bios = "life of Zeus." Bat-Zabbai and Zainab (Zaynab) being the Aramaic family clan name of disputed meaning. It is said Zenobia was a Hellenistic transcription of the Aramaic name, and she was almost definitely of Arabic descent. Her relation to Cleopatra is only rumor and cannot be proved. Zenobia believed she was a descendant of Cleopatra Thea through Drusilla of Mauretania. Through Drusilla's grandfather, Zenobia would also be a descendant of Dido from Carthage.

 

Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra by Warwick Goble 

Zenobia, born 240 AD, the second wife of King Septimius Odaenathus, was a 3rd century queen of Palmyra, ruling the Palmyrene Empire in Roman Syria after the death of her husband. Zenobia expanded the territory as an independent ruler, captured Egypt and Anatolia, was able to speak four languages, and was well loved by her country. In fact, she was known as the "Warrior Queen," which is charming, considering an obvious nickname is Zena, as evidenced in the novel Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. If it isn't obvious, the reference implied is "Xena, Warrior Princess." Queen Zenobia was most famous for leading a revolt against the Roman Empire, and as stated above, was defeated in 274 AD, which thus ended her career. Emperor Aurelian took her as a hostage, but rumor has it she was able to live the rest of her life peacefully, and possibly in luxury as a socialite. Her cause of death is not known for sure. Some say she died soon after her capture, others say she married a senator and had several daughters. You can read more about her life and capture in these translated diary entries, which I did not find out if they were accurate, but still a fun read.

 

Zenobia Captive by Sir Edward Poynter

There are two other well known namesakes of Zenobia. The first is St. Zenobia, who was martyred with her brother St. Zenobios, for their religion. The second is Princess Zenobia, wife of Prince Rhadamistes of Iberia, who lived in the 1st century, around 50 AD. The two were cousins, and although Rhadamistes was a valiant man at first, he turned into a murderer and vicious ruler. They became King and Queen of Armenia after the murder of Zenobia's father and brothers, yet Zenobia remained loyal. After enemies attacked Armenia, a pregnant Zenobia and her husband fled the kingdom, and unable to bear the long ride, and afraid of being captured, Zenobia begged Rhadamistes to kill her. He stabbed her and left her behind, b ut she survived and was saved by shepherds, who took her to the court of Tiridates, where she was received kindly. Her husband returned to his father and was beheaded. This Zenobia's tale was retold by the Roman historian Tacitus, then made into a play called Zenobia in 1761.

Three lesser-known namesakes include comedienne/actress Tina Fey's daughter Alice Zenobia, Zenobia Powell  Perry, a composer, and author Zenobia Camprubi Aymar. The name also features in other literature, include The Blithdale Romance, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1852, and The Hour of the Dragon (also known by Conan the Conqueror) by Robert E. Howard in 1935. Most recently, Amazon currently sells Zenobia - Birth of a Legend by Russ Wallace, which is about the Queen of Palmyra. It has strong reviews. There was also a 1939 film titled "Zenobia," in which Zenobia is an elephant, a 1975 film called "Madame Zenobia," and Anita Ekberg played Zenobia in the 1959 film "The Sign of Rome."

A non-person namesake is Zenobia pulverulenta, a pretty white-blossomed plant as shown below, a clothing line, and the name of a ship. Do some digging and Zenobia pops up in quite a few places. It's even the name of a hotel and a ballet.

 

Nook of Names and British Baby Names tell us Zenobia was used sparingly until the 16th century, and then rarely until the 19th century, including variant forms such as Senobia. In 2011 there were only 22 baby girls named Zenobia in the U.S., and in 2010 there were 18, plus 7 named Zenovia. It ranked low on the charts every few years, on and off, between 1881 and 1925. Zinovia is also a rarely used variant.  Zenaida and Zinaida are related names. Zenobia's name day is October 30th.

One more fun read on Zenobia as a mistaken "black" name can be found at Zenobia: Empress of the East, since I am rapidly running out of room for this post. And be sure to Google more artwork of Zenobia, as there was a bit too much for this baby name blog to hold.

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Calendula

October's official flower is Calendula, pronounced kah-LEN-doo-lah and/or kah-LEND-yuu-lah. It is the botanical name for the English marigold species, relating to the word calender, Latin calendae or kalends. The name means "first day of the month, little calendar" blooming year-round, so I'm a bit late posting this.

Calendula has many modern uses, from treating sore throats to reducing inflammation of the skin. It's petals are edible, and eating them protects cells fom being damaged by "free radicals." The name Marigold has been given since about the 16th century, and now has an appealing vintage charm. Marigold has ties to Dia de los Muertos in Mexico.

In 2011 there were 7 baby girls named Marigold and none named Calendula. If you're thinking Calendula is too weird, know that it does come with the super cute nickname Callie.

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Name Interview with Ren (Lauren)

Laurel by Alphonse Mucha

What is your name? (Include middle if you like) Lauren Ashley but I go by Ren online

What decade were you born in? mid 90’s

How did you get your name? My parents just liked it

How did you feel about your name growing up? I liked it but I always wanted a nickname (I didn’t start using Ren until I was in 9^th grade but I don’t use it in real life.)

How do you feel about your name now? I really like it. I think it is a pretty name.

If you have any kids, how did you choose their name(s)? I don’t have any kids but my top names are Athena Love and Theodore Landon. I chose them because I liked them. I will be honoring my grandma, whose name is Anastasia, some way when I have a girl.

What is the name of your best friend? Her name is Rebecca but she uses the nickname Becky. I just call her Beck though.

What are some common names for your age group? I know a lot of Ashleys, Jessicas,  Brittanys and a few more I can’t think of.

If you had to give yourself a new first name, what would it be? I don’t know. Maybe something with a nickname. If I had to pick it would maybe be Callianna with the nickname Callie/Cal.

Of the kids you've met most recently, which are your favorites and least favorites? I meet a little boy named Julius and really liked his name. I was also watching a show where one of the little kid’s name was Chancellor and I love it. My least favorite name is Jewana (I am guessing on the spelling). It is the name one girl in my class is thinking of naming her baby if it is a girl.

What are your favorite names at the moment? Right now my favorite girl name combo is Athena Love and the other girl names that are in my top 5 are Olivette, Philomena, Violetta, and Juniper. For boys my favorite combo is Theodore Landon and the other names in my top 7 (I only really like 7 names for boys. An odd number I know lol) are Amadeus, Vincenzo, Lorenzo, Thaddeus, Harrison, and Ignatius.  

What advice would you give expecting parents hunting for the perfect name? I would tell them that when they pick a name not to let anyone change their minds, especially their parents. Their parents already got to name their babies. I would also tell them that there are plenty of people who are more than willing to help them find a name they love, who don’t know them at all and won’t judge them. All they need to do is come over to formspring :).

a water lily

{Ren likes some great names. =) I personally love Violetta with the nickname Letty.}

Lauren ranked at #62 with 4,076 baby girls given this name in 2011. Lauren means "laurel," (bay laurel) a subtle botanical name. Laurel wreaths have always been a popular motif through art of all kinds. Laurel ranked at #927 after disappearing in 2009 and 2010. A similar name, Laura, ranked slightly lower at #273. Ren, on the other hand (which in Japanese means "water lily" and "lotus"). It is used for both boys and girls in Japan, yet there were 21 baby girls given the name Ren in 2011, which did not rank. Other three letter R names for girls include Rio, Ria, Ray/Rae/Rei, Rue, Roz and Rea. Ren can also be a nickname for the Italian name Renata, which just appeared on the top 1000.

Visit Ren's blog here.

Name Interview with Rosa

What is your name? (Include middle if you like)  Rosa
What decade were you born in?  50's
How did you get your name?  Named after grandmother...but i was told my mother looked in a shoe box at the hospital, lifted the lid, and there I was with my head lying on a rose
How did you feel about your name growing up?  Fine, liked it
How do you feel about your name now?  Still like it
If you have any kids, how did you choose their name(s)?  With a connection to my parents 

What is the name of your best friend?  I have so many. Rosaria, Corinne, Jennifer, Gayle, Karen, Fran, Mary
What are some common names for your age group?  Too many, nothing sticks out
If you had to give yourself a new first name, what would it be?  None
Of the kids you've met most recently, which are your favorites and least favorites?  I really don't like anything that sounds like a last name or profession, like "Taylor"or "Tanner." I like anything that comes from the Romance languages, such as Cristina and Domenica.

Rosa is just one of many rose names, from Rosalie to Rosaline, Rosalba to Rosetta, and simple Rose. Rose can also be a nickname, along with Rosie. Here are the number of births for some Rose names in 2011. (Popularity first, number of births second.)

Rosa #624, 458
Rose #291, 1077
Rosemary #654, 433
Rosalie #548, 528

Here are some that did not rank:
Roselyn, 296 births
Rosalyn, 156
Roslyn, 139

Rosie, 130

Rosalinda, 120

Rosario, 116

Rosalee, 102

Rosalynn, 92

Rosalia, 91

Rosemarie, 83

Roselynn, 65

Rosalina, 63

Rosalind, 61

Rozlyn, 58

Raizel, 53

Rosabella, 46

Rosanna, 39

Rosy, 34

Rozlynn, 33

Roselin, 29

Rosella, 26

Rosaleigh, 25

Rosetta, 25

Roisin, 24

Rozalyn, 22

Raisa, 21

Rosamaria, 21

Rosaline, 20

Rosaura, 20

Rosio, 20

Roslynn, 20

Roselia, 18

Rosely, 18

Rosita, 18

Rosalba, 17

Roseline, 17

Rosina, 17

Rosmery, 15

Rosibel, 14

Rozalynn, 14

Rosaly, 13

Rosalin, 12

Rosalva, 12

Rosaria, 12

Rosabelle, 11

Rosalea, 11

Rosaleen, 11

Roselie, 11

Rosanne, 10

Roseanna, 10

Raissa, 9

Rosilyn, 9

Rosselyn, 9 (there were more beginning with Ross- but I left them out as they seem like a female variation on Ross)

Rosali, 8

Rosi, 8

Rozalia, 8

Rozilyn, 8

Rosabel, 7

Rosalene, 7

Rosaley, 7

Rosalita, 7

Rosealynn, 7

Roseanne, 7

Roselee, 7

Rosey, 7

Roslin, 7

Rosmeri, 7

Raiza, 6

Reizel, 6

Rosaleah, 6

Rosealie, 6

Rosealina, 6

Roselani, 6

Roselina, 6

Roselle, 6

Roza, 6

Rozlin, 6

Rosalena, 5

Rosana, 5

Roseann, 5

Rosette, 5

Rosilynn, 5

Rosslynn, 5

Rozaria, 5

Rozelle, 5

And two other variants not included here are Rhoswen (Welsh, no births in 2011) and Rasia.

Altogether that is 91 different variations...!

Susannah

Susannah York

Possibly best known for the song "Oh Susannah," which most of us knew as kids, Susannah's got a lot of history besides that. The original Hebrew version of the name was Shoshana, meaning "lily." This and the Persian version may have roots with the Egyptian word for lotus. This Biblical name was not widely popular until after the 17th century, but was used regularly enough since at least the Middle Ages. The song "Oh, Susannah" was written by Stephen Foster in 1848 and widely associated with the gold rush. (By the way, you can hear one variant form, Shushana, in the movie Inglorious Basterds.)

The spelling including an "h," as opposed to Susanna, was the form used in the Old Testament, the story of a woman was was falsely accused of adultery by two old perverts, found in the book of Daniel and omitted from some texts. On the other hand, the spelling without the "h" is more European. Susan, popularized shortly afterwards, is a vintage-sounding literary gem possibly best known from The Chronicles of Narnia. This variant was in the top 10 for over two decades, Suzanne ranked in and around the top 100 for about three decades, and it might be good to know that Susanna has only been off the charts since 1997, but Susannah has not been in the top 1000 since 1978 and hasn't ranked above #800 since 1880.

Oddly enough, one late namesake is Susannah York, a British actress, which you might remember from the 1978 movie Superman. Also the name of an opera, a Saint Susanna, and the name of one of William Shakespeare's daughters. Other than that, there haven't exactly been any stand-out namesakes. Susannah of the Alamo and some famous daughters, but that's about it.

Potential nicknames: Sue, Susie, Sosie, Sookie, Sukie, Sukey, Sunny, Susa, Sun, Sana, Hanna/h, Anna, Anne, Nana, Nan, Zuzu, Zsu Zsu, Zsa Zsa (and Susie Q if it floats your boat)

Variants: There is a slight possibility that Isannah is a variant (see here) but for sure, variants include Susanna, Susan, Suzanne, Suzannah, Suzette, Susette, Sanne, Zanne, Shoshannah, Shoshana, Zsuzana, Zsuzannah, Shanna, Sosana, Susanka, Sosannah, Sousana (and Azucena is of similar origin, can have most of the same nicknames, and also means "lily"). Chochana is a spelling variant used in France.

Here are all the variants and number of births per name for the different versions used in 2011.
Susannah 78
Susana 197
Susanne 17
Susanna 167
Shoshana 111
Shoshanna 22
Susan 346
Suzanna 78
Suzanne 68
Suzette 37
Susette 5
Suzannah 19
Suzana 12
Suzan 9
Sanna 8
Susie 80
Suzie 25
Suzy 17
Susy 5
Sue 19
Sookie 6
Sosie 6
Sukie 6

Elowen

Elowen is a recent Cornish baby name meaning "elm." It may not take off in America like the last Cornish hit, Jennifer, but it's certainly pretty. She's part of a "linguistic revival," as Appellation Mountain puts it here. Her nickname could be Ellie, Elle or Ella, or a more unusual choice, Wendy. The pronunciation of Elowen is "ell-LOH-en," though most Americans will probably stick with "ELL-oh-wen." Please note that it is not spelled Elowyn. There is a similar name, Eowyn, but if you spell it Elowyn it will no longer be the Cornish name meaning elm tree, just some creative name.

Other great Cornish names include Penrose, Chesten (the Cornish form of Christine), Demelza, Denzel, Hammitt, Kerensa/Kerenza, Meraud (very similar to French gem name Emeraude, both meaning emerald, but Meraud is pronounced "meh-row"), Merryn, Morwenna, Tremain, Emblyn, Jory, Massen, Treeve and Cotton. Here's's a link to a post on Cornish names that includes Cornish saints and word names.

Some beautiful trees

Name inspiration is everywhere - street signs, exotic cities, brand name shoes (I just purchased some shoes called Hans, Elyse and Gita), and trees.

Birch

Cedar

Juniper

Lilac

Magnolia

Maple

Olive

Acacia

Senna

Senna

Simple botanical name Senna (SEHN-uh) is mysterious and unusual, yet sounds familiar. It has the simplicity of Jenna, but the uniqueness of Gwenna. It can be shortened to Sen, which means "one thousand" in Japanese. (Japanese parents bestowing the name Sen upon their child intend the meaning as "to live one thousand years". It can also refer to the sennin forest/mountain hermit. I named my first cat this, and she definitely suits the name.) The senna plant, specifically the Senna Alexandrina, is a flowering bush with little yellow flowers and can be found in the tropics. Lately it can be found as an ingredient in dieter's tea, although it has a wide array of uses. In Arabic it means "brightness."

Be warned that this name has been used in a few books and movies, one of which being Twilight as the name of an Amazon vampire.

Forest

Here's one of my personal favorites, although I'm surprised I still like it after seeing Forrest Gump so often (thanks Dad). In fact, the name peaked in popularity for the second time the year the movie was released, jumping to number #217 in 1994. 1899 was the first peak. Forest doesn't have an obvious nickname, but it's one of those names you enjoy saying without having to shorten it. Forest is Old French, meaning "woods." A famous namesake is St. John Forest of the 16th century, and another is actor Forrest Whittaker. This name can be spelled Forest or Forrest. The version Forrest seems more popular for boys, but I prefer the direct spelling. In 2011 there were 160 baby boys named Forrest with two R's, ranking just outside the top 1000. Just under that was Forest with one R, with 84 baby boys given the name last year.

Here are some other male names with "forest" in their meaning...

Arden - "great forest"
Boyce - "forest"
Dagwood - "shining forest"
Fraser - "of the forest men"
Heywood/Haywood - "hedged forest"
Holt - "woods, forest"
Keith - "woodland, forest"
Kimberly - "Cyneburg's meadow" (Cyneburg means "royal forest")
Kirkwood - "church forest"
Lockhart - "deer from the forest"
Lockwood - "forest near the fortified place"
Morio - "forest boy"
Ranger - "forest guardian"
Rinji - "peaceful forest"
Sherwood - place name from Robin Hood
Silas - "forest"
Silvan/Sylan, Silvano/Sylvano, Silverio, Silvio & Silvanus/Sylvanus - "forest"
Upwood - "upper forest"
Waldo - "woods, forest"
Waldwick - "village in the forest"
Yaar - "forest"

Similarly, here are male names that mean "wood/woods"...

Ainsley - "only hermitage wood or clearing"
Atwood - "at the wood"
Bosley - "meadow near the woods"
Boston - "town by the woods" (place name)
Boswell - "well near the woods"
Bosworth - "fenced farm near the woods"
Burl - "knotty wood"
Calhoun - "the narrow woods"
Carden - "wood carder" (occupation name)
Carver - "one who carves wood" (occupation name)
Covert - place name that refers to a small area of woods that gives shelter to game
Coy - "woods"
Culley - "the woods"
Deodar - "divine wood"
Early - "eagle wood" (also a word)
Elwood/Ellwood - "noble wood"
Farley - "fern wood"
Fleetwood - "woods with the stream"
Glade - refers to a clearing in the woods
Greenwood - "green wood"
Grimshaw - "dark woods"
Griswold - "grey woods"
Guy - "wood"
Harwood - "wood of the hares"
Hazelwood - "wood of hazel trees"
Holt - "woods"
Locke - "woods"
Marwood - "lake near the woods"
Norwood - "woods in the north"
Oswald - "man from the south woods"
Renshaw - "raven woods"
Roscoe - "deer wood"
Sawyer, Sayer & Turner - "wood worker" (occupation name)
Shaw - "wood"
Sherwood - "luminous wood"
Stanwood - "stone woods'
Waldorf - "village in the woods"
Winwood - "friend's woods"
Woodrow - "row of houses by the wood"
Woodson - "wood's son"
Woodward - "warden of the woods"

Silvester/Sylvester - "wooded"

Camellia: Perfect for tea lovers

Cultivated camellia flowers

Camellia sinensis (tea plant)

Whether I included Camellia in my "new nature names" post or not, it is the perfect name for tea lovers and nature name lovers. Most people are aware that the camellia, native to Asia, is a flowering plant, known for its pretty pink blooms, but the camellia sinensis is what produces tea leaves. There is a difference between the two kinds of camellia (any many more varieties), one difference being that camellias grown for their flowers are often hybrids or cultivated. A little known fact is that camellias are evergreens.

Fun fact: Camellia in Japanese is Tsubaki, also used as a girl's name. Camellia has always been a rare name. In 2010 there were 28 baby girls named Camellia and 22 spelled with only one L, Camelia (which to me seems a little too "camel"). There were also similar names - 11 Camella and 15 Camillia. In 2011 there were 33 baby girls named Camellia and 22 spelled Camelia. Camellia comes with the cute and kind of rare nickname Cammy.

The New Nature Baby Names

Hawthorn berries

I have rounded up a bunch of nature names, some old classics and some that would shock grandma. Feel free to comment with any I might have missed.

Trees:
Acacia
Sequoia
Magnolia
Birch
Pine
Cedar
Timber
Cypress
Maple
Juniper
Linden
Olive
Hickory
Franklin
Rowan
Ash
Aspen
Oak
Poplar
Spruce
Willow
Hazel
Senna
Myrtle
Mimosa
Laurel
Jacaranda
Holly
Cherry
Bay
Cassia
Quince
Banyan
Alder
Balsam
Ornella
Oren
Alona
Ilana
Linnea
Tilia
Elowen

Plants:
Clover
Fern
Bryony/Briony
Thistle
Poinsettia
Ren
Lotus

Flowers:
Jasmine
Jessamine
Rose
Lily
Tigerlily
Freesia
Lilac
Wisteria
Lavender
Celandine
Plumeria
Violet
Amaryllis
Azalea
Blossom
Flower
Petal
Bluebell
Camellia
Dahlia
Tulip
Tansy
Primrose
Marigold
Iris
Forsythia
Gardenia
Hyacinth
Chrysanthe
Amarantha
Poinsettia
Pansy
Poppy
Petunia
Briar Rose

Water:
Cascada/Cascade
Ocean, Oceana
Caspian, Caspia
Lake
River
Bayou
Cove
Shellina
Isla
Coral
Rain
Bay
Rialta
Laguna
Rio
Kai
Lucerne
Marina
Delta

Herbs & Spices:
Cayenne
Coriander
Basil & Basilia
Sage
Paprika
Pepper
Chamomile
Clove
Lavender
Mint
Saffron
Caraway
Sorrel
Tarragon
Rosemary
Ginger

Fruits:
Plum
Pomeline
Lilikoi
Lemon
Pomona
Cherry

Birds:
Finch
Nightingale
Starling
Sparrow
Avis
Linnet
Swan
Feather
Lark
Oriole
Raven
Falcon
Fox
Dove
Robin
Columba
Wren
Aquilina

Celestial (excluding planets, constellations & star names)
Nova
Star
Moon

Animals:
Wolf
Bear
Tiger
Cricket
Hawk
Peregrine
Heron
Sable
Mink
Epona, Eponine
Felina

Extra:
Cloud
Ember 
Cinder
Meadow
Midnight
North
Ravine
Forest
Silvana
Cotton
Heather
Moss
Fennel
Snow
Dawn
Fauna
Fawn
Ivy
Prairie
Frost
Stone
Kelda

Amarantha

I know I'm supposed to be doing boy, girl, boy, girl in terms of post order, but there are SO many girl's names I need to cover. Today's name, Amarantha, from the word amaranthos, is one of them. Besides, wouldn't Amarantha and Thalassa make a cute pair? Another ancient Greek name, this one might be a little more familiar to you. Like Ambrosia, the flower equivalent to the fountain of youth, Amarantha is Zeus's flower, and her meaning is "unfading." While ambrosia gave eternal life to people, the amaranth plant is eternal itself. Not only is Amarantha a mythical plant, it is the name of a real plant, and you may recognize the amaranth grain as a healthy whole grain.

If Amarantha is not to your liking, try Amantha, Amaranta or Amaranthe. For nicknames, try Amy, Ama, Ammie, Amara, Antha, Mara, Mandy, Randie, Rantha, or Rana. As far as culture goes, references to Amarantha are not often, although there is "Queen Amarantha," the story of a fictional queen, a book, and a few not-so-well-known namesakes.

In 2010 there were no baby girls born named Amarantha.

Poinsettia

 

What a beautiful holiday plant to name your baby girl after. We all know someone with a Christmas related name, but not this rare gem. Pronounced POYN-setta, although some do say poin-SET-ee-ah or POINT-set-ah, you can create a wide range of nicknames such as Pippa, Settia, or just Tia. In 2010 and 2011 there were no babies named Poinsettia. The poinsettia was named for Joel Poinsett, the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. It is said he is the one who brought attention to this plant for botanists to study. It's hard to believe this Christmas plant is actually tropical. The Aztecs used this plant to produce red dye, and today Mexicans and Guatemalans call it "Noche Buena," Christmas Eve, although in Spain it is called the Easter flower. The poinsettia's Christmas origin began in Mexico, where a young girl's gift of weeds to Jesus's altar at church blossomed into poinsettias. A century later, Franciscan friars in Mexico used this plant in their Christmas celebrations because the leaves resembled the Star of Bethlehem and the red color symbolized the blood of Christ. But just so you know, poinsettias can be toxic, so don't go eating them or feeding them to your pets.